Bioethanol market data for 2021: Bioethanol production increases slightly │ much higher sales of Super E10
The German Bioethanol Industry Association (BDBe) has published the 2021 market data for the production and consumption of certified sustainable bioethanol in Germany. Domestic bioethanol production in 2021 was more than 700,000 tonnes, slightly higher than the previous year. The demand for Super E10 rose sharply.
In a rebounding petrol market in 2021, which saw sales of 16.5 million tonnes of petrol, roughly 1.6% more than in the previous year (2020: 16.3 million tonnes), bioethanol consumption increased markedly. The amount of ethanol and ethyl tertiary butyl ether (ETBE), which is produced from ethanol and used as a fuel additive in Super E10, Super Plus and Super E5, increased by 4.5% to just under 1.15 million tonnes in 2021, thereby returning to 2019 levels (2020: 1.09 million tonnes). More than 157,000 tonnes of bioethanol were used for ETBE production, which is equivalent to 25.1% more than in 2020 (nearly 126,000 tonnes). Bioethanol as an admixture in petrol increased by just under 2% to 990,000 tonnes (2020: nearly 972,000 tonnes). The share of the petrol market accounted for by bioethanol rose to 6.6% by volume last year (2020: 6.4% by volume).
The market share of Super E10 in petrol sales also increased considerably last year to 17.1% (2020: 13.9%). The absolute sales volume of Super E10 increased by 25% in 2021 and amounted to 2.8 million tonnes. This figure was 2.3 million tonnes the previous year. At 12.8 million tonnes in 2021, Super E5 achieved a market share of 77.3%. In the previous year, the 13.1 million tonnes of Super E5 sold represented a market share of 80.7%. Super Plus reached a somewhat higher market share of 5.6% (2020: 5.4%).
German production of bioethanol rose slightly by 0.6% last year to around 700,000 tonnes (2020: 697,000 tonnes).
The production of bioethanol from sugar beet pulp rose sharply by 12.4% in 2021 compared to the previous year, while the production of bioethanol from feed grain fell slightly by 1.6%. In 2021, a total of 1.3 million tonnes of sugar beet and 2.3 million tonnes of feed grain were processed into bioethanol in Germany’s biorefineries and, in addition, into numerous co-products such as, in particular, GMO-free protein animal feed, biogenic carbon dioxide or organic fertilisers and biogas. Domestic bioethanol is also used as a sustainable and non-fossil feedstock in the chemical and pharmaceutical industries, for example in the production of disinfectants or cosmetics. The food and beverage industries are also important customers for bioethanol producers.
The greenhouse gas reduction quota, which will gradually increase over the next few years from the current figure of 7.0% to 25.0% in 2030, will ensure more renewable fuel volumes on roads. In the short term, however, the impact of the Ukraine war on global commodity markets overshadows this outlook.
You can read the detailed 2021 market data on production and consumption with other information graphics and information at our detailed market data report.